conjugate

1 of 3

adjective

con·​ju·​gate ˈkän-ji-gət How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
-jə-ˌgāt
1
a
: joined together especially in pairs : coupled
a conjugate relationship
b
: acting or operating as if joined
2
a
: having features in common but opposite or inverse in some particular
b
: relating to or being conjugate complex numbers
complex roots occurring in conjugate pairs
3
of an acid or base : related by the difference of a proton
The acid NH4+ and the base NH3 are conjugate to each other.
4
: having the same derivation and therefore usually some likeness in meaning
conjugate words
5
of two leaves of a book : forming a single piece
conjugately adverb
conjugateness noun

conjugate

2 of 3

verb

con·​ju·​gate ˈkän-jə-ˌgāt How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
conjugated; conjugating

transitive verb

1
: to give in prescribed order the various inflectional forms of
used especially of a verb
2
: to join together

intransitive verb

1
: to become joined together
2
a
: to pair and fuse in conjugation (see conjugation sense 3a)
b
: to pair in synapsis

conjugate

3 of 3

noun

con·​ju·​gate ˈkän-ji-gət How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
-jə-ˌgāt
1
: something conjugate : a product of conjugating
2
3
: an element of a mathematical group that is equal to a given element of the group multiplied on the right by another element and on the left by the inverse of the latter element

Examples of conjugate in a Sentence

Verb Can you conjugate the verb “to go”? biological cells conjugating under a microscope
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The two most popular styles of training in powerlifting are conjugate and linear. Roger Lockridge, Men's Health, 26 Apr. 2022 There are two meningococcal vaccines: meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MenACWY) and serogroup B meningococcal vaccines (MenB). Patia Braithwaite, SELF, 26 Aug. 2019
Verb
Some compounds found in colostrum include lactoferrin, lymphocytes, leukocytes, interleukins, growth factors, fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 13 Feb. 2024 Limited in range but emotionally enlightening, the instruction resonantly conjugates the way language makes and unmakes us. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Her legs were covered in razor nicks incurred while conjugating irregular verbs and gendering the nouns, der, die, das. Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Harper's Magazine, 14 Sep. 2022 Its formula contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), green coffee bean extract, acetyl l-carnitine, l-carnitine l-tartrate, and chromium picolinate. Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2023 Traditional teaching methods, like asking students to conjugate a verb on the spot or translate a complex Latin passage in front of their peers, can be tedious at best and nail-bitingly nerve-racking at worst. Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023 Gambling was a hard no and celibacy was expected, except for married couples who were permitted to conjugate for purposes of procreation — but only after chanting for five hours. Ashley Stimpson, Longreads, 19 Feb. 2022 The examples that conjugate that three abound, but a couple spring to mind. Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2021 With nouns that are masculine, feminine and neutral, verbs that conjugate heavily and an extremely strict syntax, German may appear insurmountable to start with. John Malathronas, CNN, 21 Apr. 2021
Noun
Gilead: Now what? Gilead Sciences’ dogged efforts to build a business in oncology have mostly amounted to disappointment, most recently with a clinical trial setback stemming from the company’s $21 billion investment into antibody-drug conjugates. Damian Garde, STAT, 25 Jan. 2024 The La Jolla biotech — located off North Torrey Pines Road near the golf course — specializes in antibody-drug conjugates, which use antibodies to selectively deliver medications to specified targets. Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2024 Two of these are already routinely recommended for children: the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV15 and PCV20) and the Haemophilus influenzae (Hib) vaccine. Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 19 Dec. 2023 There has been growing interest in the potential of antibody drug conjugates, or ADCs, among Johnson & Johnson’s competitors. Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2024 The company markets an antibody-drug conjugate called Elahere used to treat ovarian cancer. Damian Garde, STAT, 30 Nov. 2023 This has been the year of the antibody-drug conjugate, a cancer-treating technology with a long history that is suddenly en vogue among the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms. Damian Garde, STAT, 21 Dec. 2023 Bristol Myers buys big into ADCs After a series of star turns at major medical meetings, the latest pharmaceutical craze is the humble antibody-drug conjugate, the reason for several multibillion-dollar deals in 2023 alone. Damian Garde, STAT, 12 Dec. 2023 Another category of anti-HER2 therapy is antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 29 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conjugate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English conjugat, from Latin conjugatus, past participle of conjugare to unite, from com- + jugare to join, from jugum yoke — more at yoke

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conjugate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near conjugate

Cite this Entry

“Conjugate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conjugate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conjugate

1 of 2 adjective
con·​ju·​gate ˈkän-ji-gət How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
-jə-ˌgāt
: joined together especially in pairs : coupled

conjugate

2 of 2 verb
con·​ju·​gate ˈkän-jə-ˌgāt How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
conjugated; conjugating
1
: to give the various forms of a verb in order
2
: to join together
3
: to pair and unite in conjugation

Medical Definition

conjugate

1 of 3 adjective
con·​ju·​gate ˈkän-ji-gət, -jə-ˌgāt How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
1
: functioning or operating simultaneously as if joined
conjugate eye movements
2
of an acid or base : related by the difference of a proton
the acid NH4+ and the base NH3 are conjugate to each other
conjugately adverb

conjugate

2 of 3 verb
con·​ju·​gate -jə-ˌgāt How to pronounce conjugate (audio)
conjugated; conjugating

transitive verb

: to unite (as with the elimination of water) so that the product is easily broken down (as by hydrolysis) into the original compounds
benzoic acid is conjugated with glycine to hippuric acid in the body

intransitive verb

1
: to pair and fuse in conjugation
2
: to pair in synapsis

conjugate

3 of 3 noun
: a chemical compound formed by the union of two compounds or united with another compound

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